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Holly Ovenden

Designer, Illustrator, Letterer
Holly is an award-winning freelance designer and illustrator specialising in book covers. She was shortlisted for ‘Designer of the Year’ at The British Book Awards and selected by The Bookseller as a Rising Star (2021). She has won two Acadamy of British Cover Design awards (2021 & 2022) and her work as been featured in The Guardian, AIGA Eye on Design, New York Magazine’s -The Strategist, Creative Review, Print Magazine, Lit Hub, The Type Directors Club and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair – Jackets Off exhibition. She recently redesigned and illustrated 13 Agatha Christie ‘Miss Marple’ classic book covers for HarperCollins USA, as well as the cover for Marple, a new short story collection featuring twelve iconic writers from the across the literary spectrum. Before going freelance in 2020, she worked as an in-house Book Cover Designer at Penguin General, a literary imprint at Penguin Random House UK. She now works with large and independent publishers both in the UK and internationally. The majority of my design and illustration work is for adult-trade fiction books, but I also enjoy working on children’s and YA covers, as well as non-fiction and cookery.
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Holly Ovenden

Designer, Illustrator, Letterer
Holly is an award-winning freelance designer and illustrator specialising in book covers. She was shortlisted for ‘Designer of the Year’ at The British Book Awards and selected by The Bookseller as a Rising Star (2021). She has won two Acadamy of British Cover Design awards (2021 & 2022) and her work as been featured in The Guardian, AIGA Eye on Design, New York Magazine’s -The Strategist, Creative Review, Print Magazine, Lit Hub, The Type Directors Club and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair – Jackets Off exhibition. She recently redesigned and illustrated 13 Agatha Christie ‘Miss Marple’ classic book covers for HarperCollins USA, as well as the cover for Marple, a new short story collection featuring twelve iconic writers from the across the literary spectrum. Before going freelance in 2020, she worked as an in-house Book Cover Designer at Penguin General, a literary imprint at Penguin Random House UK. She now works with large and independent publishers both in the UK and internationally. The majority of my design and illustration work is for adult-trade fiction books, but I also enjoy working on children’s and YA covers, as well as non-fiction and cookery.
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Designer Requirements

Only a carefully curated group of designers are given access to the creative briefs posted on the INABC Jobs Board. This system ensures that clients receive top-notch, focused proposals from professionals whose talents have been vetted

All designers who will be bidding on your cover design have applied to receive job notifications and have been approved by the INABC admin team. Our approved designers:

  • Are professional book cover designers, not simply generalist graphic designers.
  • Have been working in the industry for a minimum of 3 years, usually more.
  • Must demonstrate a contemporary aesthetic, creating work that feels current and relevant to today’s book design market. We seek professionals who stay informed on industry trends while pushing boundaries with innovative, forward-thinking designs. Our designers know that our clients are not looking for designs that feel “dated.”
  • Work on multiple book cover projects in any given month
  • Are committed to delivering high-quality, original designs tailored to each client’s unique vision. 
  • Do NOT sell or offer book cover premades. At INABC, we do not condone the offering of pre-made book covers. We are fans of highly bespoke cover work.
  • Do NOT use AI-generated imagery in their commercial work.
  • Have accessible online portfolios showcasing book cover work that are easy for anyone to review.
  • Have extensive experience working with self-publishing authors AND commercial presses.
  • Are available and excited to receive these weekly briefs.

If you are contacted by a designer that doesn’t align with the requirements described above, we ask that you please contact the INABC admin team at ineedabookcover.assistant@gmail.com.

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